On June 3, 2019, the board of stewards at Santa Anita Park suspended trainer Michael Pender for 30 days for violation of two of its rules: #1887 Re: Trainer to Insure Condition of Horse and #1902.5 Re: Animal Welfare.

The administrative action stems from a complaint filed by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) on April 11, 2019, alleging the following:

âTrainer Pender knowingly worked a horse âNew Karmaâ after a veterinarian examination disclosed a fracture in the horseâs left front leg. The horse was shipped to Golden Gate Fields where it was entered to race but subsequently scratched due to its injury.â

My final post on this matter. Racing has to weed these guys out. They are not representative of anything any of us wants. One-by-one they must go. Unfortunately this has been going on for a long time -- but by only a few. (My trainer scratched one of my horses because "his coat wasn't bright enough but be is perfectly sound." That is what I want to be around).